India's Rohit Sharma, right, congratulates teammate Virat Kohli after he made 50 runs against Australia during their One Day International cricket match in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)Two sweet little moments captured a heartwarming evening in Sydney on Saturday where two modern ODI masters synced together in a jugalbandi to remember. The first came right when Virat Kohli clenched his fist with a smile when he got his first run after two ducks in the previous games. It was a light-hearted gesture, not an angsty relief, that said much about his relaxed state of mind.
The second was right at the end, when Rohit Sharma and Virat warmly hugged each other after their unbeaten 168-run partnership steered India’s 9-wicket win against Australia. It was a dead rubber since the Aussies had won the first two games of the three-match series, but the game meant a lot for the two ageing superstars (Rohit is 38 years old and Virat is 36).
This was perhaps their last sighting in a cricket game in Australia but the partnership showed that it won’t be the last time the two paired together for India. Admittedly, the 237-run target was not stiff, but the two did not sweat or fuss or try to extend themselves, but flowed along serenely towards the inevitable destination of a win. With this performance, the two masters have shown that they are in no mood to fade away as yet.
INDIA WINNNNNN! 🇮🇳
The crowd came to witness something special in Sydney and Ro-Ko didn’t disappoint! 🫂
If this was their last match in Australia, what a way to leave a legacy behind! 💙 pic.twitter.com/3MR2KxQBxh
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 25, 2025
There wasn’t a doubt about their talent, especially in this format, but there were doubts about how they were going to cope with the rustiness of a long layoff, considering they have retired from Tests and T20 and play just one format.
The first game seemed to trigger anxiety amongst fans but it was perhaps forgotten in the moment that the ball did much on that pitch that day, and it wasn’t just these two but the entire team that collapsed. In the second, Rohit gritted his way through a tough phase but Virat had fallen for a first-ball duck. So, that cloud of doubts about the pair hung around Sydney on Saturday but they dispelled it with an assured performance that not only tempered the angsty fans but would also have shown the youngsters how to coolly chase down totals.
After the match, Rohit would summarise what the evening meant for the two. “It was fun, don’t know if we’re going to come back (as cricketers), but I’ve enjoyed every bit. We’ve enjoyed playing cricket regardless of all the accolades over the years. Forget about what happened in the last 15 years, I’ve always loved playing here, I think it’ll be the same for Virat as well. Thank you Australia.”
Virat was asked what was common between him and Rohit and he stated a fact without being overly modest. “We’re probably the most experienced pair now, but back in the day when we were young — we knew we could take the game away from them with big partnerships. I think it all started in 2013 (the home series against Australia), if we put up a big partnership, play around 20 overs, we know we’ll go a long way in helping the team win and even the opposition realise it. We’ve loved coming to this country, we’ve played some good cricket, thank you guys for coming in big numbers and supporting us.”
“THANK YOU, AUSTRALIA!” 🥺
Was it their last match in Australia? Ro-Ko perfectly summed up their emotions! 💙 pic.twitter.com/blEN7NjcE2
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 25, 2025
For Rohit and Virat, the question isn’t about their age, as such. M S Dhoni has shown that in recent years by turning out in IPL, and performing as an agile wicketkeeper and a finisher. It’s a question of how these two, who just had emotional retirements from the Test format, handle the comeback after months of silence. Rohit kept himself busy, shedding kilos to get fitter. Virat kept himself busy, away from the prying eyes, and knocking in an academy ground in London. They weren’t willing to leave without a fight.
This week in Australia has been a vaccination boost against criticism. It will cover them with immunity for a while, though deep down they know that the question of rustiness will again emerge after a few months of inactiveness. India play South Africa at home next month and will endure a break before they play ODIs again. So, these two would once again have to face that question. But this performance in Australia has shown that they won’t be anxious about whether they can do it again.
The next ODI World Cup is still two years away and that’s a long time to make any proclamation about these two as yet. It’s befitting, though, that the two will end their careers chasing another World Cup dream in this format of the game.
India’s not out batters Virat Kohli, right, and Rohit Sharma, second right, walk off the field with Australian players after their One Day International cricket match in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
As a kid, Rohit would huddle together with his uncles and grandfather — his parents had placed him in their care, and not only watch ODIs, but would analyse endlessly about tactics and strategies they saw players trying on TV. Rohit first developed a serene template of batting in the ODIs, taking his time to settle down before hitting big. He then broke his own mould in the last 5 years by taking on a super-aggressive approach at the top as an opener.
No one is more intimate with the soul of ODIs than Virat. Even before he would develop his love affair with Test cricket, it was as ODI chase master that Virat was known in the cricketing world. His ODI game has been nothing short of remarkable; he doesn’t extend himself, he doesn’t try any over-adventurous shots, he doesn’t panic if there is a run-stutter at any phase. He also doesn’t try to take risks — he just flows with astonishing confidence and knowledge of when to play a big shot, who to play against it. In the interim, he would tap and run furiously.
Watching Rohit and Virat play ODIs is like watching a rerun of a favourite show. We know what’s going to come next, and we still watch in admiration of their ability to do it under pressure. Time will tell how the next two years go, but on a Sydney Saturday, hope floated beautifully in the air.
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